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Minister Gumbo

Bulawayo Bureau
Government is considering reducing the price of vehicle registration plates, a Cabinet minister has said.

The new set of number plates that were introduced in March 2005 can be obtained at a cost of $160 for motor vehicles and $140 for a trailer or motorcycle.

Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Joram Gumbo told Parliament that the review follows complaints that the registration plates were expensive.

“My ministry is currently reviewing the cost of the number plates with a view to making them more affordable. When we do that, we will still have to come back to Parliament and have everything gazetted in the interests of the public, but we are working on it right now as we speak,” said Minister Gumbo.

The minister defended the policy regarding the replacement of lost registration plates saying it was for security reasons.

“The logic is that once a specific number plate has been declared lost, it has already been compromised in that it may be abused if it gets into the wrong hands hence issuance of replacement number plates with the same registration number is considered an unnecessary risk,” said Minister Gumbo.

“Before the introduction of the new number plates, some motorists were infamous for holding number plates in a bid to run several vehicles on the same registration number. Such motorists would mislead authorities that their vehicles’ front or rear number plate got lost. They would then be given plates bearing the same number as the reportedly lost ones.”

Hwange East legislator Tose Sansole also asked Minister Gumbo to explain the logic behind changing the number or issuing a completely new number plate in the event of a vehicle being sold.

“The reason why there is a need to change the number plates when a vehicle has been disposed of by somebody and bought by someone else is that when you still own your vehicle, you may have committed some offences.